Fire-extinguishing system.



C. T. ROBERTS. FIRE EXTINGUISHING SYSTEM. APPLIOATION FILED SEPT. 11,1908.

Patented June 15, 1909;

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 15, 1909.

Applicationiiled September 11,-15108. Serial No. 452,550.

' .resident' of Tucson, in the county of Pima -and Territory of Arizona, have invented a new and Improved Fire-Extinguishing System, of which the'following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to certain improve ments in fire extinguishing systems, and more particularlyto sprinkling systems for mine shafts, although 1t is evident that the system might be utilized equally as well in various other localities.

The object of the invention is to so con struct the sprinkling system that the Water may be delivered thereto in such a manner as to prevent the burning of the woodwork of the shaft and prevent the passage of flames from. one level to another.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming apart of this specification, in which. similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures, and in which 7 Figure 1 is a vertical section through a mine shaft provided with .my improved sprinkling system; Fig. 2 is a transverse sec Mom on the line 22 of Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a detail side elevation showing one form of pipe connections.

n my improved system, Iprovide aplurality of small sprinkling pipes 10, disposed substantially horizontallyati1it.er\'*'als throughout the height of the shaft and preferably substantially encircling the shaft, so as to spray water u onall of the walls thereof.

All of the sprin ling pipes are connected to a main header 11, extending vertically of the shaft at one side thereof and'held in place in any suitable manner. The sprinkling pipes are arranged closely adjacent the timbers of the shaft, and when the water is turned on, said pipes keep these timbers so moistened that. they cannot catch lire. The upper end of the main delivery or stand ")ipe- 11 is connected to a storage tank 12 t ove the upper end of the shaft, and a suitable valve 13 is provided; for controlling the ilow of water from the tank to the stand pipe 11.

At the lowermost portion of the mine, preferably. directly below the main shaft, is arranged the sump 14, in which all of the pipes 10. .A suitable pump 15 is'provided pipe. 16 extending into the sump, and delivering said water through a second stand .pipe 17 leading to the upper end of the shaft and delivering into the storage tank 12. The lower end'of'thestand pipe 11. is closed and the;lower end of the stand pipe 17 is connected thereto. A branch pipe 18 leading from the pump to the. stand pipe 17, connects witlrthe latter intermediate two valves 19 and 20, either one of which may be closed. With the valve 19 open and the valve 20 closed, the pum may withdraw water from the sump and ddliver the same to the storage tank 12. With the valve 19 closed and the valve 20 open, the pump may force water up the stand pipe 11 and to the spray pipes. Intermediate the ends of the standpipe 1 1, I provide a valve 21, which may be controlled y a cord, wire, or rod 22 extending to the up .er end of the shaft. 7

11 case the fire occurs in the upper portion of the mine shaft the valve'fll may be closed and the valve 13 opened, so that- 'only the spray pipes in the upper portion of the shaft .-will be suppliedwith'watcr. "If the fire oc- .curs in the lower portion ofthe shaft, the valve 13 may remfain closed, the valve 21 mayle closed/andthevalve 2U opened, so that the pump may withdraw water fronrthe sump-and force it up into the lower portion of the discharge main 11 and out into the lower spraypipes. .The pump at. any time may he used for withdrawing water from the sump 14 and delivering it to the storage tank 12 or to any other desired point atthe upper end of the shaft. In case it is desired to sprinkle the entire height of the shaft, the valves 13, 21 and 21') may be opened and the valve 19 closed. Upon starting the pump, water will be forced. upwardly in the lower portion of the stand pipe 11, and will tend to counteract the downtlow of water in the upper portion of the pipe 1]. Thus, all of the spray pipes will he provided. with the maximum amount of water, but a portion of this water will be withdrawn from the sump, and, therefore, the minimum amount of water'will be drawn from the storage tank. A saving is thus effected and the s wrinkling system mav e maintained in ful operation for'an indefinite length oftime.

To install my improved system, the ordinary mine pump employed for removing the for withdrawing water through a suetmn H water from the mine, maybe employed, and the stand pipe 17 may be the ordinary pipe employedas a discharge pipe from the pump. It is thus necessary to provide only the stand pipe 1 1, the s ray;pipes ;1-0 and thelnecessary coillfhngs an connections.

aving thus described vmy invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. The combination with the shaft and the sump, of a plurality of s ray pi es arranged adjacent to the sides of t e sha two stand pipes within the shaft, one of the pipes being connected with the s ray ipes, a tank at the upper end of the she. ,aml connected to both the stand pipes, and a pump at the lower end of the shaft having an inlet pipe leading to the sump, and means whereby the pump may be connected with either of the stand pipes, the stand pipe connected with the spray pipe being provided with a, valve at approximately the center thereof, and means connected with the valve, and extending to the top of the shaft for opening and closing the same.

e 2. In a device of the class described, a plurality of spray pipes, a tank, a plurality of stand pipes, one of which is connected with It is hereby certified that the name of the assi gnee'in' et ers-Patent No. 925,230, granted June 15, 1 9(l9 ,j1pqn the application of ChristopherTlRoberts, of Tucson, Arizona Territory, for an improvement in Fire-Extinguishing ystems, was 'erroneously written and printed iLouis ,Zeehendorf whereas saidname should have 7 been time; and printed Louis Zeclcehdorf; and tlia thl-theisaid Letters Iatent should 1 i be read witli'this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in thePatent Ofl ice. n H i I Signed and sealed this 3rd day of Au ust, A. 1)., 1909. V

[SEAIL] i F. A. fIENNAN-T,

' Acting Commissioner of Patents.

water from the mine, maybe employed, and the stand pipe 17 may be the ordinary pipe employedas a discharge pipe from the pump. It is thus necessary to provide only the stand pipe 1 1, the s ray;pipes ;1-0 and thelnecessary coillfhngs an connections.

aving thus described vmy invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. The combination with the shaft and the sump, of a plurality of s ray pi es arranged adjacent to the sides of t e sha two stand pipes within the shaft, one of the pipes being connected with the s ray ipes, a tank at the upper end of the she. ,aml connected to both the stand pipes, and a pump at the lower end of the shaft having an inlet pipe leading to the sump, and means whereby the pump may be connected with either of the stand pipes, the stand pipe connected with the spray pipe being provided with a, valve at approximately the center thereof, and means connected with the valve, and extending to the top of the shaft for opening and closing the same.

e 2. In a device of the class described, a plurality of spray pipes, a tank, a plurality of stand pipes, one of which is connected with It is hereby certified that the name of the assi gnee'in' et ers-Patent No. 925,230, granted June 15, 1 9(l9 ,j1pqn the application of ChristopherTlRoberts, of Tucson, Arizona Territory, for an improvement in Fire-Extinguishing ystems, was 'erroneously written and printed iLouis ,Zeehendorf whereas saidname should have 7 been time; and printed Louis Zeclcehdorf; and tlia thl-theisaid Letters Iatent should 1 i be read witli'this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in thePatent Ofl ice. n H i I Signed and sealed this 3rd day of Au ust, A. 1)., 1909. V

[SEAIL] i F. A. fIENNAN-T,

' Acting Commissioner of Patents.

Correction in Letters Patent No. 925,230

It is hereby egi'tified that the name of the essignee in Letters Pat-ant N 0. 925,23 granted June 15, 1909,,j1pen the applieati on of Christopher '12. Roberts, of Tueso: Arizona Terhitory, for an improvement in Fire-Extinguishing Systems, was em neouslj written and printed Louis Zechendor whereas said name should hav been written and printed Louis Zeckendorf; and that the said Letters Patent shonll case the Patent Ofl ice.

Signed and sealed this 3rd day of August, A. D., 1909.

[SEAL] F. A. TENNANT,

Acting Commisnkmer of Patents. 

